Human Motivation

Fear is a emotion of distress that comes from a perceived impending threat , such as pain or some form of suffering , whether mental or physical . Fear can be thought of as a constraint , resulting in inaction However , if we define ‘inaction ‘ as also a form of ‘action , then we come upon a more generalized definition of fear : Fear is a motivating force that impels one to some form of action (Hedonic tones

Fear is a ‘good ‘ thing in that it leads to caution . The form of fear that [banner_entry_middle]

is common to both humans and lower animals is the ‘good ‘ fear , in that it is a primitive , instinctive fear with a practical purpose : the survival of the organism . The fear of pain , for example , results from the association of events that lead to pain to the sensation of pain itself . The causes of fear are very diverse , but (to take the Darwinian point of view ) it is commonly accepted that fear is and has been a natural part of the evolution process . That is why most animals including humans , are known to exhibit fear (Tenebaum , 1998 . Fear is largely responsible for the survival of species the ancestors of humans survived long enough to evolve the level of intelligence that humans now have . Thus fear is generally a ‘practical ‘ emotion in animals , including humans

However , even in today ‘s modern and advanced society , where humans have to some extent taken control of nature , fear is prevalent , even to the point of irrationality . Many people live with fear : an irrational fear of the dark , fear of criminals in the night , fear of superiors at work fear of going broke . In humans , fear is not just a practical emotion but a cultural force , a product of socialization and conditioning that may have little to do with real , practical occurrences

Fear can manifest as inertia , or the fear of change . For instance , some people may choose to stay in harmful sexual relationships with others thinking that being single is a frightening thing . Fear can also take the form of ‘paralysis a person may have aspirations about starting a business , but is afraid of the risk of going broke . Because of fear of doing things the wrong way , we do nothing , and this , in effect , reduces the chances of success to almost zero . However ‘paralysis ‘ can also be ‘good (although the definition of ‘good ‘ is arguable . The death penalty is a governmental device created on the premise that it will instill fear in criminals , thereby inhibiting their criminal tendencies by ‘paralyzing ‘ them

Fear of things changing for the worse can be a good thing in a sense that it makes us anticipate and therefore adequately prepare when the going gets tough . We buy insurance for accidents , medical conditions and loss of property and loved ones

Fear is a very effective motivating force , and can be used with precision on an unsuspecting public . The fact that fear is a very effective motivating force… [banner_entry_footer]